Waste flushing mechanism, including a backflow preventer



A. J. KREINER 2,547,70$

, mcwnmc A BACKFLOW PREVENTER April 3, 1951 WASTE FLUSHING MECHANISM 2Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Sept. 21, 1946 I) TTOR/VEYS rifl 3, 1951 A. J.KREINER 2,547,703

VENTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WASTE FLUSHING MECHANISM, INCLUDING A BACKFLOWPRE Filed Sept. 21, 1946 BY R64 L d r HTTOR/VEYS .ior .only a briefinterval.

Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASTEFLUSHIN GMECHANISM, INCLUDING A BACKFLOW PREVENTER Anthony J. Kreiner, Wicklifie,Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Lockley Machine Company, NewCastle, Pa., a corporation, of .Penn:

sylvania Applicationseptember 21, SL946, .SfllfialiNr698i528 inventionrelates to garbage disposal apparatus of the kind adapted, to beconnected to the drain opening of a kitchen sink or the likeand :Whichoperates to grind or comminute kitchen waste material and to dischargethe ground materialinto a drain pipe of the plumb- .ingzsystem.

flit has been recognized heretofore in connection with the operation ofgarbage disposal apparatus of. thisv kind that it is desirable to supplywater for mixing with the waste material during the grinding operationbecause the water and ground material form a sludge which will readilyflow through the drain pipe without causing clogging thereof. The wateralso facilitates the grinding operation and serves to flush and cleansethe apparatus. Water under pressure is ordinarily ,available for thispurpose in the usual domestic cold water supply pipe which extends tothe cold water faucet of the sink with which, the disposal apparatus isconnected.

The domestic cold water supply pipe usually contains potable water andif a branch from this pipe is connected to the garbage disposalapparatus for supplying the water-thereto a problem is presented becauseof the possibility that under certain conditions a backflowof water fromthe disposal apparatus into the supply pipe might occur and causecontamination of the potable water supply. Usually the grinding device.of the garbage disposal apparatus is connected to the drain opening ofthe kitchen sink so that the chamber of the grinding device forms adown- Ward continuation of this drain opening and hence, when a largevolume of soiled water is allowed to flow out of the sink through thedrain opening such as when a pan of dishwater is emptied into the sinkor when the drain stopper is. removed, it flows into the chamber of thegrinding device more rapidly than it can flow out throughthe drain pipeand the level of the soiled water rises to ,a relatively high point inthe chamber although it may remain at such a high level If a vacuumshould exist in the potable water supply pipe during such a floodedcondition of the chamber of the grinding device and if the valvecontrolling the fiow of water to the grinding device from the supplypipe should be open at the same time, some ofv the soiled water willflow backwardly into the supply p ne and. cause the abovementionedcontamination oi the potable water unless means .isprovided forpreventing such backfiow- ,It is, therefore, .an object of thisinvention to provide im'proyed garbage disposal apparatus of 2 Claims.(01.4-18.7?)

thischaracter and embodying a means for supplying water thereto butwherein means is employed for preyentinga return flow of water fromthedisposal-apparatus to the water supply means.

Another object of the present invention is. to provide improved garbagedisposal apparatus .of the character mentionedwhich embodies a backdoopreventingdevice for preventing such .a returnfiow of water from. thedisposalapparatus.

A further object is to provide improved garbage disposal apparatus ofthis kind in which a control valve unit embodied in the grinding devicecontrols the supply of the water thereto and .a backflow preventingvalve device associated with the control valve .unit prevents a returnflow of water from the grinding device into the water,

ratusbei-ng shown applied to a kitchen sink and with portions ofthe sinkand grinding device broken away;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus taken at a pointadjacent to but below the sink substantially as indicated by line 2.--2of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a partialvertical sectional View taken through the back-flowpreventing device and an adjacent portion of the grinding device,theview being taken substantially as indicatedbyline 3-3 of Fig. 2, andi Fig. 4 is another partial vertical sectional view taken through thecontrol valve unit of the grinding (device. as indicated by line .4 4 ofFig. 2.

In Fig. 1- of the accompanying drawings the improved garbage disposalapparatus is shown applied to a kitchen sink ii]. The apparatuscomprises, in general, agrinding .device I I, .anavailable supply ofwater under pressure and which is .here, represented by the supply pipeor con,- duit l2, and a backfiowpreventing device I3.

Thesi-nk i0 can be of a conventional construction and, as shown in thisinstance, may have. a bottom, 14 and side walls [5 defining a tank orwashing space in, which water is adapted to be confined. The bottom ofthe sink is, provided with a, drain fitting It having a relatively largedrain opening ll therein.v The sink, 10 may also be equippedwith the.usual hot and cold water faucets t8 and I9 and a water delivery spout20.

'with the drain fitting I'i. of the grinding device contains an uprightcham- The grinding device H is similar to the grinding device discosedin copending application Serial No. 667,811, filed May 7, 1946 nowPatent No. 2,476,630 granted July 19, 1949, and comprises an uprightmain housing 22 and an electric driving motor 23. The grinding devicealso includes a switch housing 24 containing an electric control switch25 for the electric motor 23 and a control valve unit 26 which, as shownin Fig. 4 and explained hereinafter, is embodied in the main housing ofthe grinding device. The discharge of ground material in sludge formfrom the grinding device |l takes place through the drain pipe 21 whichconstitutes a part of the plumbing system and is connected to thedischarge spout 28 of the main housing 22.

The grinding device H is disposed in upright relation as shown in Fig. 1and is usua ly connected with the sink I!) by being suspended from thebottom wall l4 th reof as by being connected The main housing 22 ber 29which forms a do nward continuation of the drain opening i! of the sink.The chamber 29 includes a flared and downwardly enlarging feed passage29a and a grinding chamber or compartment 29b which forms a downwardcontinu tion of the fe d passage. The unper end of the fe d passa e 29acommunicates directly with the drain opening I! of the sink so that thelatter constitutes the feed opening through which material to be groundis introduced into the feed passa e of the rinding device.

The side wall of the grinding chamber 291) s provided wi h suitablecomminuting means such as the s redding ribs 3| shown in this instance.The bottom of the grinding chamber is formed by a substantial ycone-shaped disk or rotor 32 'which is c nnected with the u right shaftof the motor 23 so as to be driven thereby and carries one or morenroiections or lugs 33 which coo erate with the shredding ribs 3| forsubiecting the materia to a comminuting or grinding action. The rim ofthe rotor 32 is s aced from the wall of the housing a small distance soas to provide an annular discharge passage 34 for the ground materialand communicates with a disc arge chamber 35 located beneath the rotor.The mixture of ground material and water is discharged from the cham er35 through the snout 28 into the drain pipe 21, such dischargepreferably being effected or accelerated by means of one or more vanes36 located on the underside of the rotor.

The entrance opening l'l into the upper end of the feed passage 29a iscontrolled by a guard 38 of plate-like form which is slidably mounted ina projection 39 of the main housing 22 and is movabe transversely ofsuch entrance opening. The guard 38 is provided with an upstanding lug'or hand e 40 which is adapted to be manually grip ed for sliding theguard to its open or closed positions. The guard also carries a camprojection 4| which is engageable with the actuating 'stem 42 of thevalve device 26 when the guard approaches 01 reaches its closedposition. The lower end of the actuating stem 42 is disposed inoperative relation to the electric switch 25 so that downward movementof the stem will cause closing of the switch 25 and starting of theelectric driving motor 23.

The guard 38 is normally in its open position as shown in Fig. 2 so thatgarbage or other waste the chamber 29 of the grinding device When it isdesirable to operate the grinding device to dispose of the materialwhich has collected in the chamber thereof, the guard 38 is slidlaterally to its closed position causing the cam 4| to engage andactuate the stem 42 so as to automatically start the electric motor 23.When the grinding operation has been completed, the guard 38 is slid toits open position thereby permitting a return movement of the actuatingstem 42 and opening of the electric witch 25 to stop the electric motor23.

The drain opening ll of the sink I0 is preferably provided with asuitable stopper 44 which, as disclosed more fully in said earlierapplication, is adapted to occupy either a sealing position or adraining position, when located in the opening H. The plug 44 is alsoentirely removable from the opening l! to afford access to the chamber29 of the grinding device for dropping garbage into the latter from timeto time as explained above. When the stopper 44 is in its sealingposition a supply of water can be retained in the tank of the sink H)for use in washing dishes or vegetables or for other purposes. When thestopper is in a partial y lifted or draining position it permits waterto flow freely into the chamber of the grinding device through anannular space extending between its outer edge and the side wall of thedrain fitting l6.

As indicated in the early part of this specification it is desirable tosupply water to the grind ing device during the operation thereof, suchwater being supplied from the pipe or conduit |2 for mixing with thematerial to be ground. This Water supply enters the chamber 29 of thegrinding device I through a water passage 45 suitably located in theside wall thereof and is controlled by the valve unit 26. The water thussupplied also passes through the backflow preventing device |3 whichwill be presently described in greater detail.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 8 of the drawings the main housing 22 isprovided with a mounting means for the attachment of the backflowpreventer I3 therewith in proper relation to the water passage 45. Inthis instance, the mounting means includes a boss or pad 46 formedintegral with the main housing and having a fiat face 46a against whicha flanged portion of the backflow preventer seats, and screws or studs4% for connecting the backflow preventer against such boss or pad. Theouter end of the water passage 45 opens through the flat face 43a and isso located that the backfiow preventer, when in its mounted position,will be in communication with this passage.

The control valve unit 28 comprises a valve chamber 41 formed in thewall of the main housing 22 of the grinding device and includes an inletpassage Ma and an outlet passage 41b. The water supply pipe or conduitI2 is connected with the inlet passage 41 as by means of the fitting 48.In this instance the water supply pipe or conduit is shown as consistingof or including a hose connection |2a which is secured on the fitting 48by means of the clamp I217. The outlet passage 41b is connected with thebackflow preventing device |3 by the connecting pipe or conduit 49.

The control valve unit 26 also comprises an annular valve seat 53located in the valve chamher 4'! and a valve element 5| which is carriedby the actuating stem 42 and cooperates with this seat. The stem 42extends axially of the valve 2;: chamber 41 and is suitably guided sothat its inenemas The backflow preventing device. "(3* more ii'ullydisclosed in copendingapplicaticn Serial No. 698,527, filed septemberzl, 1946, now Patent No. 2516578 and comprisesaa casing Behaving thereina flexible diaphragm 512316..3 check -valve'53. The casing '55 containsa diaphragm chamber in whichz'the diaphragm. 5.! isa loc'ated. The upper:portion of .thediaphragm chamber-forms .a pressure compartment 59 withwhich an inletpassage 66 communicates and the lower portion of thediaphragm chamberforms a relief chamber fil 'ihaving an aoutl'et passagefiii. The relief 'cha-mber 61 is in direct communication with theatmosphere through one or more slots 53 formed in the side wall of thecasingrata point below the diaphragm. The outlet-passage E2 communicateswith an outlet chamber 64 which in turn com- ?municateswith a dischargechamber 65 through 'a passage 66 which is controlled by the check valve58. The discharge chamber 65 is in direct communication with the waterpassage Q5 of the grinding device II by reason of the fact that theportion ofthe housing in which the discharge chamber 65 is located issecured against the side wall of the main housing 22 in surroundingrelation to theouter. end. of the water pas age.

The portion of the casing 56 of the backflow preventing device in whichthe inlet passage to i's'slocated carries projections '61 lf'orming anon sealing'stop adapted to be engaged by the diaphragm 5'! 'for apurpose to be explained hereinafter; .Theportionof the bottom wall ofthe diaphragm chamber surrounding the outlet pasisage 62 forms .a valveseat. 68 adapted to be en- Egaged by a valve element .fia'whic'h iscarried. by the diaphragm. centrally thereof and in this instance isformed by a thickened integral central portion of the diaphragm. Thediaphragm has a connecting passage Til extending through the valveelement 69 thereof. The uoper portion of this valve element is in theform of an axial stem 69a whose upper end is engageable with the stopprojections 61.

In the operation of the disposal apparatus the closing of the guard 38actuates the stem 42 to cause closing of the switch and starting of theelectric motor 23 as explained above. The movement thus imparted to thestem 42 also shifts the valve-element 5| to its open position therebypermitting water from the supply pipe I2 to flow through the valvechamber 4! and through the connecting conduit 49 to the inlet passage 60of the backfiow preventing device l3. The water enters the pressurecompartment 59 and exerts a downward pressure on the diaphragm 5T causing the valve element 69 of the latter to be sealingly pressed againstthe valve seat 58. As long as water pressure is supplied to the pressurecompartment 59 the diaphragm will be retained in this extreme positionand will interrupt communication between the outlet passage 62 and theatmosphere openings 63. While the diaphragm is in this position itsconnecting passage in is in communication with the outlet passage 62 sothat water will flow through the diaphragm into the outlet chamber 64and then past the 6 checkvalve "5'8 and into the grinding: device H Whenthe-guard 38 is returned to its open position the release of theactuating stem 42 causes opening of'the electric switch 25 to stop the'motor '23 as explained above and also results in the the Water passage15x01 va'lve element 5 being moved against its seat to cut off the flowof water to the grinding device I! from the supply pipe I2. The closingof the valve unit 26 disconnects the pressure compartment 59 of the'backflow preventing device 53 from the supply pipe 42 whereupon thediaphragm 51 returns to its intermediate position in which itis shown inFig. 3.

If a large volume of soiled water is permitted to-ilow'irom the sink Illthrough the drain opening Ii into the chamber 29 of the grinding deviceII it will temporarily rise to a relatively high level in this chamber,as previously men tioned herein, but this flooded condition will usuallyexist for only a short interval and until the water is carried away bythe drain pipe 21. During the existence of this flooded condition someof the soiled water will flow backwardly through the water passage 45into the discharge chamber of the ba'ckflow preventing device is. The

check-valve '58 being normally in engagement with its seat will preventa surge of such soiled water from flowing beyond "the check valve intothe outlet and diaphragm chambers of this device. If the'floodedcondition'existsin the chamber of the grinding device foranabnormal period some of the soiled water may travel past the checkvalve- 5 8 into the outlet chamber '54 but ifthis backfiowo'f soiledwater is in su' fiicient volume to rise upwardly through theoutletpassage 612 it will not travel through the connecting passage illof the diaphragm 5'! because it will escape freely through theatmosphere opening 63 and contamination of 'the 'water in the supplypipe 'l2'will be prevented. If desired, the casing of the device it canbe provided with an external annular lip 72 extending therearoundadjacent the atnrrosphere openings 63 and which will form an overrlowchamber is adapted to collect and retain water which overflows throughthe atmosphere openings.

If a vacuum condition should exist in the supply pipe I2 at the sametime that the above described fiooded condition occurs in the chamber ofthe grinding device 'I I, none of the soiled water will reach the supplypipe because the vacuum condition will shift the diaphragm 51 to anupwardly deflected extreme position in which the top of the stem 69awill engage the stop projections 61. While in this position thediaphragm cooperates with the stop projections in providing a baflledpassage which connects the inlet passage 60 with the atmosphere openings'63. This baflled passage permits air from the atmosphere to enter thesupply pipe [2 thereby relieving the vacuum. Because of the bafiledcondition of the vacuum relieving passage thus established and the factthat any soiled water backing up into the diaphragm chamber of thedevice l3 will freely escape through the atmosphere openings 63, it willbe seen that none of this water will get into the supply pipe l2.

From the foregoing description and the ac- 70 companying drawings itwill now be readily unplied to the grinding device from an availablesupply pipe containing potable water without danger of a contaminatingbackfiow of soiled wate from the grinding device into the supply pipe.It will be seen moreover that the embodiment of the backflow preventingdevice in the disposal apparatus effectively prevents such contaminationof the potable Water supply. It will also be seen that by providing thegrinding device with an automatically actuated valve device the supplyof water to the grinding device can be controlled so that it will passthrough and actuate the backfiow preventing device in such a manner thatthe operator need only actuate the guard and the other functions ofstarting and stopping the electric driving motor and starting andstopping the supply of water and the prevention of a backfiow of soiledwater will all take place automatically.

Although the improved garbage disposal apparatus of this invention hasbeen illustrated and described herein to a detailed extent. it will beunderstood of course that the invention is not to be regarded ascorrespondingly limited in scope but includes all changes andmodifications coming within the language of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Waste flushing mechanism comprising, an upright member having thereina chamber provided with an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at itslower end, said member having a mounting means thereon and a waterpassage therein leading from said mounting means into said chamber, acontrol valve unit carried by said member and having an inlet and anoutlet, means 101' connecting an available supply of potable water underpressure with the inlet of said valve unit, means connecting the outletof said valve unit with said water passage, said valve unit beingoperable to control the flow of water into said chamber, and a backflowpreventer valve device in the last mentioned connecting means andmounted in fixed relation on said member by engagement with saidmounting means and being operable to prevent a return flow of water fromsaid chamber to said available potable water supply, said preventervalve device having an inlet connected with the outlet of said controlvalve unit and an outlet connected with said water passage through saidmounting means.

2. Waste flushing mechanism comprising, an upright member having thereina chamber provided with an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at itslower end, a guard mounted on said member for movement transversely ofsaid inlet for controlling the same, said member having a mounting meansthereon and a water passage therein leading from said mounting meansinto said chamber, a control valve unit carried by said member andhaving an inlet and an outlet, means for connecting an available supplyof potable water under pressure with the inlet of said valve unit, meansfor causing an automatic actuation of said valve unit in response to themovement of said guard, and means connecting the outlet of said valveunit with said water passage including a backflow preventing devicemounted in fixed relation on said member by engagement with saidmounting means and operable to prevent a return flow of water from saidchamber to said available potable water supply, said backflow preventingdevice having an inlet connected with the outlet of said control valveunit and an outlet connected with said water passage through saidmounting means.

ANTHONY J. KREINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

